The first step in any of these governance frameworks is a risk assessment. The Queensland Government has developed the Foundational AI Risk Assessment (FAIRA) to provide a practical process for conducting a risk assessment, including recommendations for risk mitigation activities that can be implemented at a number of different levels within an organisation. Although developed to support Queensland Government departments and agencies, FAIRA isn’t specific to those organisations, and is readily available for use by both private and public sector organisations.

Federally, the Digital Transformation Agency has produced guidance on how to implement the National AI Assurance Framework. While aimed at organisations that are formally part of the DTA’s pilot implementation of the assurance framework, the guidance documents are a useful resource for any organisation seeking to implement responsible AI controls. Government departments implementing AI solutions to process sensitive information can benefit from the DTA’s guidance on each of the specific Voluntary AI Safety Standard Guardrails, including pointers to specific legislation, Australian Public Service policies, processes and tools for tackling tasks like deidentification of private information, implementing data quality controls to address risks around fairness, and considerations around the testing the accuracy, reliability and safety of AI systems.

Adopting a Responsible AI strategy in government requires a deliberate and structured approach, and each organisation will have its own specific challenges with respect to the kind of data being used and the kind of tasks AI is being applied to. Departments should take the time to assess which tools and frameworks align best with their missions and responsibilities, identify any gaps within their existing processes and capabilities, and create a plan to address them.

To support this process, KJR is holding dedicated AI Governance Workshops – available in major cities – providing government leads and practitioners the opportunity to learn how to responsibly deploy AI within their departments. By balancing conceptual understanding with practical applications, these workshops aim to help agencies navigate the complex AI regulation maze, ensuring AI use that is compliant, effective, and ethically sound. For workshop details, see AI Governance Workshop – KJR